MBTA adding trains on Worcester commuter line

Wednesday

Jan 8, 2014 at 6:00 AMJan 8, 2014 at 5:00 PM

By Bronislaus B. Kush TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

WORCESTER — The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, following up on a promise made last year, will add trains this month to the commuter rail service it offers between Union Station and Boston.

During the weekday, three more trains will go to Boston's Back Bay and South Station, while four more trains will make the trip to Worcester.

In all, there will be 20 trips from Worcester to Boston and 20 trips from Boston to Worcester.

On weekends, the MBTA added four inbound trains and four outbound trains. That means that there will now be nine trips on Saturdays and nine trips on Sundays.

The new schedule goes into effect Jan. 27.

MBTA officials urged commuters to review the new schedule at www.mbta.com because departure times will change for some trains, with changes ranging from 5 minutes to 60 minutes.

The Worcester line has the second-highest ridership of the state's commuter rail service. The Providence line tops the list.

MBTA officials said they were able to increase train service because the state last year purchased the track used for local commuter rail service from CSX Corp.

With the acquisition, the state assumed responsibility for train dispatch and maintenance of the tracks, which are still used by CSX freight trains.

State transportation officials have also begun work on a $15 million upgrade to the track. Half the money will be spent this year and the other half will be disbursed in 2015.

The local commuter rail track includes 17 stations and is part of a 400-mile system the MBTA oversees in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.